Hot water pipe assembly in cooling tower

ABSTRACT

A cooling tower includes a hot water pipe assembly which is connected to an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe on two ends thereof. The hot water pipe assembly has two bases, two support boards connected to the two bases and a plurality pipes connected between the two support boards. Each support board has a plurality of connection holes and each connection hole includes a threaded inner periphery. Two seals are respectively mounted to two ends of each of the pipes and the two ends of each of the pipes are inserted in the connection holes in the two support boards. A plurality of bolts each have a passage defined therethrough and a threaded outer periphery. The bolts are threadedly connected to the connection holes and the two ends of each of the pipes are inserted in the passages of the bolts, so that the seals are compressed between the pipes and the inner periphery of the connection holes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hot water pipe assembly of a cooling tower wherein the hot water pipes are individually connected to two supporting boards and seals are mounted to the hot water pipes. The seals are compressed by two respective ends of the hot water pipes and inclined surfaces in the supporting boards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional cooling tower generally includes a case with a space defined therein and an enclosed water collection tank is located at a lower portion of the case and ventilation apertures are defined through the case. A fan device is located at a top portion of the case and a tube is located beneath the fan device. Water drops from holes in the tube so as to cool the hot water pipes located beneath the tube. An inlet pipe and an outlet pipe are respectively connected to the hot water pipes so that hot water is supplied to the hot water pipes via the inlet pipe and the water that is cooled flows out from the outlet pipe. The hot water pipes are U-shaped pipes which are soldered with each other so as to form a long and curve pipe system to let the hot water stay in the hot water pipes as long as possible.

Nevertheless, the U-shaped pipes are made as a one-piece assembly so that once a leakage is found at one spot, the whole pipe assembly has to be removed from the tower to be maintained. The pipe assembly is a huge assembly and takes a lot of time to disengage from the cooling tower and to re-install to the cooling tower. Besides, even if the section that leaks is decided to be cut out and replaced with a new section, the maintainers have to carefully operate tools to cut the section from the pipe assembly and to solder the new section to the same position. This is a time-consuming task.

The present invention intends to provide a hot pipe assembly of a cooling tower and the pipes are individually installed and are well sealed to prevent from leakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hot water pipe assembly of a cooling tower which comprises a case, an enclosed water collection tank, a fan device. a tube located beneath the fan device and having a plurality of holes and the hot water pipe assembly located below the tube. An inlet pipe and an outlet pipe are respectively connected to two ends of the hot water pipe assembly. The hot water pipe assembly has two bases, two support boards and a plurality pipes are connected between the two support boards. Each support board includes a groove in which a seal is received and a peripheral ridge of each base is inserted into the groove. Each support board has a plurality of connection holes and each connection hole includes a threaded inner periphery. Two seals are respectively mounted to two ends of each of the pipes and the two ends of each of the pipes are inserted in the connection holes in the two support boards. A plurality of bolts each have a passage defined therethrough and a threaded outer periphery. The bolts are threadedly connected to the connection holes and the two ends of each of the pipes are inserted in the passages of the bolts. The seals are compressed between the pipes and an inner periphery of the connection holes.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view to show the hot water pipe assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view to show the connection of the pipes and the support boards and the bases;

FIG. 3 is a side view to show a cooling tower with the hot water pipe assembly of the present invention, and

FIG. 4 shows another side view of the cooling tower with the hot water pipe assembly of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the cooling tower 1 of the present invention comprises a case 1 composed of columns 10 and boards 11, and a space 12 is defined in the case 1. An enclosed water collection tank 13 is located at a lower portion of the case 1 and a plurality of ventilation apertures 14 are defined through the case 1 and around the water collection tank 13. A fan device 2 is located at an upper portion of the case 1 and a tube 3 is located beneath the fan device 2. The tube 3 has a plurality of holes 30 so that cold water drops from the holes 30 to cool the hot water pipe assembly 6 located beneath the tube 3.

The hot water pipe assembly 6 is connected with an inlet pipe 4 and an outlet pipe 5 respectively at two ends thereof so that hot water enters the hot water pipe assembly 6 from the inlet pipe 4 and the cooled water leaves the hot water pipe assembly 6 from the outlet pipe 5. The hot water pipe assembly 6 includes two bases 60, two support boards 61 and a plurality pipes 62 connected between the two support boards 61. The two bases 60 each have an open side 601 and the open side 601 is enclosed by a peripheral ridge 603 and a plurality of connection holes 604. The two support boards 61 are connected to the open sides 601 of the two bases 60 and each support board 61 includes a groove 613 in which a first seal 80 is received and the peripheral ridge 603 is inserted into the groove 613. Each support board 61 has a plurality of connection holes 610 and each connection hole 610 includes a threaded inner periphery 611. Two second seals 81 are respectively mounted to two ends of each of the pipes 62 and the two ends of each of the pipes 62 are inserted in the connection holes 610 in the two support boards 61.

A plurality of bolts 72 each have a passage defined therethrough and a threaded outer periphery 720. The bolts 72 are threadedly connected to the connection holes 610 and the two ends of each of the pipes 62 are inserted in the passages of the bolts 72.

An inclined surface 612 extends inward from an inner periphery of each of the connection holes 610 and the second seals 81 are compressed by end surfaces of the two ends of the pipes 62 against the inclined surfaces 612 of the connection holes 610. The second seals 81 are compressed and deformed so as to provide a satisfied sealing function.

The hot water pipe assembly 6 can also be connected with each other to form a large assembly. A plurality of openings 602 are defined through one side of each of the bases 60 and connection members 70 extend through the openings 602 so as to connect another base 60 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The water from the outlet pipe 5 of the upper hot water pipe assembly 6 enters the lower hot water pipe assembly 6 from the inlet pipe 4 of the lower hot water pipe assembly 6, and so on. This increases the period that the hot water remained in the hot water pipe assemblies 6 so that the hot water is efficiently cooled. Another important improvement is that the pipes 62 can be replaced individually and easily.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A cooling tower comprising: a case and a space defined in the case, an enclosed water collection tank located at a lower portion of the case and a plurality of ventilation apertures defined through the case and around the water collection tank; a fan device located at an upper portion of the case; a tube located beneath the fan device and having a plurality of holes; a hot water pipe assembly located below the tube and an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe respectively connected to two ends of the hot water pipe assembly, the hot water pipe assembly having two bases, two support boards and a plurality pipes connected between the two support boards, the two bases each having an open side and the open side being enclosed by a peripheral ridge and a plurality of connection holes, each support board including a groove in which a first seal received and the peripheral ridge being inserted into the groove, each support board having a plurality of connection holes and each connection hole including a threaded inner periphery, two second seals respectively mounted to two ends of each of the pipes and the two ends of each of the pipes inserted in the connection holes in the two support boards, and a plurality of bolts each having a passage defined therethrough and a threaded outer periphery, the bolts threadedly connected to the connection holes and the two ends of each of the pipes inserted in the passages of the bolts, the second seals being compressed between the pipes and an inner periphery of the connection holes.
 2. The cooling tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of openings defined through one side of each of the bases and connection members extend through the openings so as to connect another base.
 3. The cooling tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inclined surface extends inward from an inner periphery of each of the connection holes and the second seals are compressed by end surfaces of the two ends of the pipes against the inclined surfaces of the connection holes. 